Pressurized aircraft may contain one or more forward pressure bulkheads or panels located at the nose of the fuselage which serve as a barrier for the pressurized interior cabin environment. For example, in one aircraft design, the front side of a forward pressure bulkhead may be surrounded by a radome or “nose cone” of the aircraft, which houses an antenna and/or other equipment. The inside of the radome is not pressurized, i.e., it is exposed to ambient air conditions. The radome is typically formed from a lightweight and electromagnetic transparent material such as fiberglass. Consequently, the forward pressure bulkhead is designed to provide additional protection against airborne objects, such as birds, which may strike the nose of the aircraft.
Conventional forward pressure bulkheads and are designed to rigidly react impacts by providing a “brick wall” protection mode. In other words, conventional forward pressure bulkheads and engineered to resist airborne object penetration with very low structural deflection. In this regard, such forward pressure bulkheads and panels utilize rigid reinforcement beams, ribs, or other components that support the main bulkhead panel. Therefore, such forward pressure bulkheads and panels are typically fabricated from many separate components that are welded, riveted, or otherwise connected together to form the desired structure. The resulting structure can include a large parts count, which increases the cost of the forward pressure bulkhead.
The crown panel of an aircraft is the area beginning above the cockpit windows and typically extending aft to a structural frame member of the aircraft. Like the forward pressure bulkhead, this area may be subject to bird strike and in-flight hail due to its exposed location near the front of the fuselage. In this area, there may be a steep angle of incidence relative to the direction of flight (typically about 25 to 30 degrees). Conventional crown panels utilize substantial structure and frame elements designed to resist deflection and penetration by foreign objects. Consequently, prior art crown panel assemblies utilize heavy reinforcement beams, ribs, or other components that support the exposed crown panel skin. Moreover, such prior art crown panel assemblies may require a large parts count, which increases the material and manufacturing cost of the crown panel.
Accordingly, there is a need for a forward panel that addresses the limitations or disadvantages discussed above.